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Soult's Retail View

Archived blog posts (2009 to 2018) about shops on the high street and online, by North East-based retail consultant Graham Soult

Not surprisingly, Retail Week ranks highly for influence... but how high? Photograph by Graham Soult 0

Brands / Marketing / Personal / Social Media

October 7, 2015

 by Graham Soult · Published October 7, 2015 · Last modified May 7, 2018

The Lissted UK Retail Top 100: Britain’s most influential retail Twitter accounts

Background Back in April, Newcastle-based influence analysis platform Lissted prompted quite a lot of reaction when it published its list of the 250 most influential...

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Digital Argos store in Tottenham Court Road, London (12 Sep 2014). Photograph by Graham Soult 2

Mobile Commerce / Online / Technology

August 21, 2015

 by Graham Soult · Published August 21, 2015 · Last modified May 7, 2018

Ian Jindal Q&A: “Customers see mobile as the remote control for the brands they trust”

Those of us who like attending retail and digital-related conferences certainly never have any shortage of potential events to attend. My own excursions are limited a touch...

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One of the slides from my talk 0

Marketing / Personal / Social Media

July 8, 2015

 by Graham Soult · Published July 8, 2015 · Last modified November 10, 2016

Taking the peril out of online marketing: download my slides from last week’s talk in Stockton

It was a pleasure to speak at Enterprise Made Simple’s Flippin’ Good Networking event in Stockton last week, sharing my online marketing tips – on web...

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Back wall in Pep&Co, Kettering (25 Jun 2015). Photograph by Graham Soult 1

Fashion Stores / Interiors / Property

July 1, 2015

 by Graham Soult · Published July 1, 2015 · Last modified March 21, 2017

Pep&Co first look: checking out the store and its offer as the Kettering branch opens its doors

Last month I wrote about the impending arrival of new value fashion and homewares chain Pep&Co – and its first store, in Kettering, has now...

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Georgia Jones wearing Rosie Willett's hair vine 1

Fashion Accessories / Retailer Q&A

July 1, 2015

 by Graham Soult · Published July 1, 2015 · Last modified May 7, 2018

Retailer Q&A with Rosie Willett Designs: “Ecommerce is fantastic for reaching people all over the world”

Talking to retailers – as I spend much of my time doing – it’s interesting how many businesses have embraced Facebook and its Pages functionality, but...

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Holding page of Pep&Co website 1

Fashion Stores / Property / Shopping Centres

June 4, 2015

 by Graham Soult · Published June 4, 2015 · Last modified November 10, 2016

Middlesbrough among the first locations for new value fashion chain Pep&Co

Few consumers will have heard of it yet – for one thing, there’s no Twitter or Facebook presence that I can see – but new value...

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Woolworths.co.uk with closure countdown (1 Jun 2015) 0

Brands / Woolworths

June 1, 2015

 by Graham Soult · Published June 1, 2015 · Last modified April 23, 2017

As Shop Direct closes Woolworths online, is a high-street return now more likely than ever?

The news that Shop Direct is to shut its Woolworths online store, following its acquisition of the brand back in 2009, is not especially a surprise.

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Amber Arch website 1

Retail Supplier Q&A

May 6, 2015

 by Graham Soult · Published May 6, 2015

Retail supplier Q&A with Amber Arch mystery shopping: “Market trends do change”

In my line of work as a retail consultant (as always, you can read more about my business, CannyInsights.com, here), I regularly find myself heading into...

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Fascia of 'Not Woolworths' in Coatbridge (4 Dec 2014). Photograph by Graham Soult 0

Personal / Social Media / Woolworths

April 28, 2015

 by Graham Soult · Published April 28, 2015 · Last modified November 10, 2016

Woolworths: How speculation about its “return to the high street” all began with a dodgy April Fool

If you’ve read the news headlines over the last couple of days, you could be forgiven for thinking that Woolworths is about to come back...

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Tesco Express, Whitley Bay (11 Apr 2013). Photograph by Graham Soult 7

Property / Supermarkets

January 28, 2015

 by Graham Soult · Published January 28, 2015 · Last modified April 28, 2015

Tesco store closure list revealed: three North East shops to go

Tesco has today revealed the list of 43 stores that it intends to close – with three North East branches among their number. Eighteen of...

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Bang Tidy Clothing homepage 1

Fashion Stores / Online / Retailer Q&A

January 26, 2015

 by Graham Soult · Published January 26, 2015 · Last modified November 10, 2016

Retailer Q&A with Bang Tidy Clothing: “We have so many opportunities right now”

I’ve written before about independent online businesses – like fashion accessories store Tesoros – that have managed to carve a great niche for themselves in...

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Former Mecca club in Wallsend - soon to be a Wetherspoon pub (21 Jun 2014). Photograph by Graham Soult 2

Online / Property / Regeneration / Technology

December 16, 2014

 by Graham Soult · Published December 16, 2014

Exploring bingo’s place on the high street – and the online challenges that parallel retail

If you follow my blogs and tweets religiously, you’ll know that I spend a fair chunk of my time travelling up and down the country,...

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Exposed George Rye ghost fascia in Newcastle's Groat Market (10 Aug 2014). Photograph by Graham Soult 0

Retail History

August 10, 2014

 by Graham Soult · Published August 10, 2014 · Last modified February 26, 2017

George Rye: a little bit of Newcastle retail history uncovered again, five years after the last time

Long-time readers of Soult’s Retail View may recall my blog post from August 2009, where I wrote about part of the William Hill fascia at...

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1960s postcard of Morpeth Woolworths 0

Retail History / Woolworths

July 31, 2014

 by Graham Soult · Published July 31, 2014 · Last modified January 16, 2017

A brief history of Morpeth Woolworths

As you’d probably expect, I get my fair share of Woolworths-related enquiries, given that I’ve written (and talked) so much about the retailer’s long and...

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Soon-to-be Poundland in St George's Way (19 May 2014). Photograph by Graham Soult 1

Property / Shopping Centres / Variety Stores

May 21, 2014

 by Graham Soult · Published May 21, 2014 · Last modified July 30, 2014

Poundland to take Eldon Square spot next to Waitrose

If you’ve passed through the St George’s Way mall of Newcastle’s Eldon Square in the last few days, you’ll have noticed new hoardings around the three...

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Interior of Leisure Lakes Bikes Daventry flagship 0

Independent Stores / Retailer Q&A / Specialist Retailers

April 28, 2014

 by Graham Soult · Published April 28, 2014 · Last modified August 12, 2014

A business built on “staff knowledge and passion”: Q&A with Leisure Lakes Bikes

One of the most interesting things to emerge from my regular Retailer Q&A features is a sense of how different, longstanding independents are navigating the increasingly multichannel...

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Some of Tesoros' cufflinks 1

Fashion Accessories / Independent Stores / Online / Retailer Q&A / Specialist Retailers

April 11, 2014

 by Graham Soult · Published April 11, 2014 · Last modified May 7, 2018

Selling “treasures” online in the fast-growing fashion accessories space: Q&A with Tesoros

With my CannySites.com business traditionally focusing upon stores in the home, garden and holidays space, it’s fair to say that fashion probably hasn’t been my...

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Site of Poundland, Trinity Square, Gateshead (2 March 2014). Photograph by Graham Soult 5

Property / Shopping Centres / Variety Stores / Woolworths

March 11, 2014

 by Graham Soult · Published March 11, 2014 · Last modified July 30, 2014

New Gateshead Poundland to open on 29 March – with existing store retained for now

One of the eight new Poundland stores scheduled to open by the end of March is the long-awaited branch at Gateshead’s Trinity Square development, which Poundland’s...

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Poundland (former Woolworths), Argyle Street, Glasgow (20 Nov 2012). Photograph by Graham Soult 1

Online / Retail Parks / Variety Stores / Woolworths

March 11, 2014

 by Graham Soult · Published March 11, 2014 · Last modified August 26, 2017

As Poundland prepares to float, what are the secrets of “the new Woolies'” success?

As Poundland gets ready to float on the London Stock Exchange this week, in a move expected to value the business at £750m – similar in...

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Closed Moffees at Trinity Square, Gateshead (2 March 2014) 1

Property / Regeneration / Shopping Centres

March 2, 2014

 by Graham Soult · Published March 2, 2014 · Last modified March 3, 2014

Nine months in, Gateshead’s Trinity Square hits footfall high and eyes 100% occupancy

When Gateshead’s Trinity Square opened its doors in May last year, you could have been forgiven for being a little underwhelmed by the extent of...

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Woolworths… from the archives

  • Woolworths to make a high street return?

    23 Nov, 2009

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Great, as always, to chat to Clive Bull on LBC thi Great, as always, to chat to Clive Bull on LBC this morning (Saturday 13 February) about #Stockton's ambitious high-street plans - as featured in Olly Wainwright's Guardian piece this week - including what it means for Stockton, and what other places can learn.

Listen to the full discussion from 02:04:39 - the broadcast is available on Global Player for the next six days.

#highstreet #retail #evolvingnotdying
Time for a hearty lunch at Lou's at St Cuthbert's Time for a hearty lunch at Lou's at St Cuthbert's Walk in Chester-le-Street, which has had a fantastic post-lockdown refurb since we were last here. Superb customer service too, with a friendly greeter, efficient check-in process, and then full table service 👏 #ChesterleStreet #CLSIsOpen #cafe #lunch
Enjoying delicious homemade #dumplings at Miss Ele Enjoying delicious homemade #dumplings at Miss Elephant in #ChesterleStreet 😍. This plate is a #veggie-friendly mix of the cabbage and cheese, and spinach and mushroom varieties - topped with onlon, but without the bacon option, obviously! #pierogi #food #instafood #lunch
With no-one else but us on the beach, it was too t With no-one else but us on the beach, it was too tempting not to turn it briefly into a #cannybeach. Don't worry - all trace was removed before leaving again, though the tide would have soon erased it anyway! #coll #isleofcoll #scotland
"#Retail will be increasingly about those independ "#Retail will be increasingly about those independent, distinctive, local businesses that really are rooted in their communities and give something back to their communities." Thank you to Alex and Naomi from Artifact Media for filming me in Chester-le-Street this week. Through video, they will be telling the story of a town that is navigating and emerging from lockdown - showcasing local businesses, and providing lots of positive, shareable content 🎥

#chesterlestreet #recthelockdown #highstreet #evolvingnotdying
Time for a mini brand refresh 💥 #newlook #newlo Time for a mini brand refresh 💥 #newlook #newlogo #retail #highstreet #durham
Positive to end the year with 14 of 18 units occup Positive to end the year with 14 of 18 units occupied at St Cuthbert's Walk in #ChesterleStreet - the best occupancy in years. Contact Bradley Hall Chartered Surveyors and Estate Agents about the four available units - tenants benefit from free marketing support from us, and via the St Cuthbert's Walk social media channels. #retail #highstreet #evolvingnotdying #countydurham #shoppingcentre
The #LightsOut inflatable installation at Mackie's The #LightsOut inflatable installation at Mackie's Corner in #Sunderland city centre is a great photo opportunity, and an effective way of making people look again at a beautiful but underappreciated building 🐙 
#art #urbanart #highstreet #architecture #mackiescorner

About this blog

Soult's Retail View is a blog by me, Graham Soult, taking a wide-ranging look at the UK retail industry. I'm a retail consultant based in Gateshead - and the person behind CannyInsights.com and CannySites.com - so my posts often (but not always) have a North East flavour. [read more]

Shopping Directories

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Categories

Archive

Retail property… from the archives

  • Wellington Square ‘win a shop’ competition looks to nurture new retail talent

    13 Aug, 2009

  • Esslemont & Macintosh – the one that got away

    26 Jul, 2009

  • Sign at Poundstretcher in Ashington (21 Mar 2012). Photograph by Graham Soult

    Poundstretcher reveals new visual identity as it reopens ex-UGO stores

    22 Mar, 2012

In the News

In December 2009, global media intelligence company Cision ranked Soult’s Retail View at #2 in its list of the UK’s top ten retail blogs.

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